Man unleashes pit bull to elude Trenton police

Tony Butler is a wanted man after he unleashed a pitbull on police to give himself time to escape.

At 8:45 p.m. Tactical Unit 2 detectives Jason Astbury, Wilfredo Delgado and Aaron Bernstein were patrolling near the 300 block of Hanover Street looking to confiscate weapons. Butler noticed the officers and put his hand near his waist as if he was going for a gun while walking onto the porch of a vacant home. Astbury ordered Butler to show his hands, but Butler ran inside the home. Astbury chased the suspect inside the home where he saw Butler holding the gun in one hand and the leash to a pit bull in the other. Butler dropped both and fled the scene. The dog chased Astbury out the front door before Astbury fired a single shot to the animal’s head.

“Unfortunately he had to put the dog down, but it was that or get bit,” Sgt. Tony Manzo said.

Police recovered a .32 revolver with five rounds loaded. Butler is wanted on charges two counts of possession of a weapon for the gun and dog, aggravated assault on a police officer and charges for fleeing police.

Later that night, at 11:30 p.m. Detectives Brian Susche and Fredrick Bender arrested Justin Hill, 25, of Trenton after he was found with a loaded 9mm Ruger with 15 rounds and 18 grams of crack cocaine following a traffic stop on Walnut and Chestnut Streets. He was charged with possession of a weapon, certain persons not to have a weapon, possession of a high-capacity magazine, possession of a weapon during a narcotics operation, possession of controlled substance with 500 feet of a park, possession of CDS near a school, possession of a CDS and possession with intent to distribute.